There are many possible causes for knee pain. Probable sources are problems with your feet or hips, tight or weak muscles, ligament, tendon, cartilage injuries, or osteoarthritis. If you are new to exercise, it can also result from trying to do too much too soon – which can lead to overuse and inflammation.
Handle knee pain quickly
When my knees begin to hurt, I immediately address the two reasons that I know are personally causing my knees to ache.
First, my shoes are getting worn out or they weren’t fitting me properly. A good shoe store will be able to look at your step/gait and fit you into shoes that properly support your feet. Orthotics can also be very helpful if a good fitting shoe isn’t enough.
Second, my leg muscles are getting tight. Stretching the muscles/tendons that attach at the knee: the hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, inner thighs, iliotibial band (outside of the thigh), and calves alleviate the pain for me.
Knee pain can come from many different sources besides what I mentioned and may require a doctor’s attention, so don’t push through the pain! But ask yourself, “When is the last time I replaced my shoes?” and “Did I properly stretch after exercise?”
Below I’ve listed three symptoms and possible causes for your knee pain. Be sure to consult with your doctor to make sure you’ve identified the exact cause.
I have inflammation and pain in my knee
You may have runner’s knee. Runner’s knee is an example of an injury resulting from a knee tracking issue. The femur (thigh bone) and patella (knee cap) can literally be off track in its ‘pulley system.’ That causes wear and tear and results in inflammation and pain. The pain can be felt on any side of the knee, but most often on the front of the knee cap.
Runner’s knee is associated with an increase in activity – maybe too much too soon. Pain is worse after getting up from rest. The treatment is rest, strengthening the thigh and hip muscles, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.
My knee hurts after I’ve been sitting awhile
You may have chondromalacia . Chondromalacia is a softening or loss of smooth cartilage that covers the back of the kneecap. The symptoms and treatment are similar to runner’s knee. There is pain in the front of the knee, especially after prolonged sitting or when pressure is applied to the kneecap (kneeling, going down stairs).
The best treatment is rest and building up your medial quadriceps. One example is sitting in a chair and performing a straight leg lift.
I have pain under my knee cap
You may have patellar tendonitis. Patellar tendonitis is inflammation or irritation of the patellar tendon.This tendon is what connects the patella (knee cap) to the tibia (shin bone). Pain can be felt just under the knee cap. There is pain, stiffness, and a cracking noise can be heard with motion – especially squatting or descending stairs. The treatment is icing after exercise for 15 minutes (not cake icing!), resting from jumping and sprinting, and stretching before and after exercise. This is a good example of listening to your body. If you have pain while squatting, do your squats without weights, don’t go down as far, and/or hold onto something stable.
